Public Statements

Issue Position: A Stronger Economy

Issue Position

The measure of a strong economy is a growing middle-class where every American has a chance to work and an opportunity to succeed.

In America, a rising tide is supposed to lift all boats. But today, Americans are working harder, earning less, and paying more for health care, college and taxes. Corporate profits are soaring, the government keeps expanding, but the opportunities for our middle-class are shrinking.

But we also need to make tough choices, fight wasteful spending and spend tax dollars effectively. If we're going to get the deficit under control and get Washington in line with the priorities and values of the American people, we've got to be willing to take on excessive spending and that is why I support a constitutional line item veto.

In the last seven years, the federal budget has gone from record surpluses to record deficits - which, if left unchecked, can become a fiscal cancer that will erode any recovery and threaten the prospect of a lasting prosperity. Restoring fiscal responsibility in Washington matters to everyone who cares about our future. That's why the Democratic leadership passed a "Pay as You Go" measure, which requires us to pay for new entitlement spending and tax cuts. It's time to make tough choices today, so we do not pass on an even greater debt burden to our children tomorrow.

I believe that we're stronger when we create good-paying jobs here at home - not shipping them overseas. I believe we should reward hardworking middle-class families with tax breaks, not larger bills. We should expand the reach of opportunity, not the size of government. And we should lead an America where we work together to invest in the jobs of tomorrow.